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SAPA BROILER NOTES INTRODUCTION TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN POULTRY FARMING INDUSTRY SEPTEMBER 2013
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Learning Module 1
Introduction to the South African Poultry
Farming Industry
These notes were compiled by Professor James Hayes on behalf of the South African Poultry
Association and are the property of the South African Poultry Association.
Permission to use them can be obtained through SAPA www.sapoultry.co.za
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Contents
The poultry industry in South Africa
The supply chain for Poultry Meat
The role of poultry to feed mankind
Systems for meat and egg production
Housing of broilers
Housing of Layers
The South African Poultry Association
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The poultry industry in South Africa Note to the learner The following module serves to give you a brief introduction and understanding of the Poultry Industry in South Africa and will cover aspects such as why the poultry sector is divided into two main divisions, the supply chain of poultry meat, why companies do not share parent stock and broiler chick hatcheries, the poultry meat and table egg industries, systems (housing types) for meat and egg production and finally the role of the South African Poultry Association and the role of the Developing Poultry Farmer Oranisation.
Introduction After reading and studying these notes you will be able to see where your industry fits into the
bigger picture of either poultry meat production or commercial egg production, you will be able to
demonstrate an understanding of the origin of the present day breeds that are being used for meat
and egg production as well as the supply chain for the production of meat and eggs. You will also
have the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the most popular housing systems used for poultry
production.
The poultry industry can be divided into two main divisions:
Poultry meat production
Pure meat-type breeds were used by overseas companies to develop lines with outstanding
characteristics to put on weight fast and use feed efficiently.
Commercial egg production
Pure egg-type breeds were used by overseas companies to develop lines with outstanding
characteristics to put on weight fast and use feed efficiently.
Male and female White Plymouth Rock and male and female Indian Game
White Leghorn male and female and New Hampshire male and female
The development of lines: Males of one of the pure breeds, White Plymouth Rock, were mated
(cross-bird) with females of the Indian Game breed to obtain a male line for meat-type birds.
A female line was developed by mating females of the White Plymouth Rock with males of the
Indian Game breed to serve as the female meat-type bird. Nowadays these lines are called breeds
and bear the names of their companies: Ross, Cobb, Arbor Acres, Hubbard etc. The very same
procedures were followed by companies to develop the commercial egg-laying birds. These birds
bear names such as Lohmann Silver, Lohmann Brown, Hy-Line and Amber-Link.
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The lines developed by the breeding companies by mating pure breeds are most valuable and are
therefore maintained under very strict conditions of bio-security and remains the property of a
particular company. Selection of the best performers is constantly taking place and only limited
numbers of males and females, known as great-grand parents (GGPs), of either a meat-line or a
commercial egg-line, will be sold to reputable organisations to use them as parents of breeding
flocks (known as parent flocks) to produce hatching eggs from which chickens can be hatched and
reared as either broilers or pullets for commercial egg production.
Broilers:
Is the term that is always used for meat-type poultry, they include males and females. Broilers are
reared from day-old to 33 - 35 days of age before being processed at an abattoir and the meat sold
to supermarkets.
Commercial layers:
Produce eggs that are sold in the supermarkets. Hens that produce fertile eggs for the production of
day-old broilers or pullets for the table egg market are referred to as breeders. Some companies use
the term breeder laying farm where females are mated with males to produce fertile eggs for day-
old chicken production).
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Grandparent farms where the imported male and female lines are reared and where mating is done to produce parent stock.
Parent stock laying farms
Hatchery for hatching parent stock Males and females
Parent stock laying farms
Broiler rearing farm Broiler rearing farm Broiler rearing farm
Processing plantMeat packaging and distribution to markets
Parent stock rearing farms
Hatchery for day old broiler chickens from eggs produced on laying farms.
Broiler rearing farm
The supply chain for poultry meat
Broiler production An illustration in Figure 1 shows the involvement of different divisions of the broiler industry
to ensure a constant supply of meat to the consumer.
Figure 1 Supply chain for poultry meat
The supply chain for production of eggs for the fresh egg market (table eggs) is in essence the same
as the scheme in Figure 1 for the production of poultry meat. Instead of a hatchery for day-old
broiler chickens one would find a hatchery for the production of day-old pullets. (The term pullets is
used for female chickens until they reach sexual maturity and start laying eggs)
Why a company does not share parent stock and broiler chick hatcheries.
1. The hatchery for the production of day-old chickens for broiler production delivers to a large number of rearing farms. Travelling to such farms by feed trucks and lorries during depopulation pose a high risk to contaminate equipment at their hatchery.
2. People and equipment can contaminate a parent stock hatchery which on turn will contaminate the breeding farms. This can result in a collapse in the supply chain of hatching eggs for the production of broilers for the market.
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The Poultry meat and table egg industries Poultry industries worldwide are playing a huge role to supply mankind with high quality food as well
as the means for people to make a living. Some of these aspects are summarized in the following
section.
Role of Poultry to feed mankind
Conversion of feed to food Maize, soybeans, offal from animal industries, minerals, vitamins and many other products not
readily acceptable by humans, are mixed and fed as balanced diets for broilers and layers to
produce meat and eggs. Thus converting low quality products into highly nutritious food for
mankind. Poultry meat is one of the best sources of protein for mankind. The low fat content of
the breast meat, so-called white meat, is regarded as healthy meat. Eggs are the most balanced
source of nutrients for humans. The proteins in eggs are used as standard against which all other
proteins are evaluated in their ability to support growth in young animals and humans. It is also
a good source of all vitamins and micro-minerals for healthy development as well as fats and oils
as source of energy.
Efficient converters of feed to food
Poultry, compared to cattle, has low energy requirements to maintain their own bodies and are
therefore very efficient converters of feed to meat and eggs. That is why the price of these
products has remained relatively low in relation to the cost beef and mutton.
Consumption of poultry meat and eggs
Since 2010 more poultry meat was produced and consumed, 36.1 kg per person per year, than
the combined figure for beef, mutton and pork viz 23.5 kg. Consumption of eggs is 156 per
person per year.
Marketing of meat and eggs
Marketing is done by the individual producers themselves and they would normally be under
contract to supply a certain amount of meat or eggs over a certain period of time. The producer
is thus under obligation to deliver their goods according to a specified program and this requires
exceptional good planning to place orders for replacement stock, feed and packing material,
transport etc. Health management of poultry flocks therefor needs to receive the highest
priority to ensure a constant level of production of meat or eggs to satisfy demands from the
consumer.
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Systems for meat and egg production
Housing of broilers Structures vary a lot; from open-sided buildings to mechanically ventilated broiler sheds with
insulated panels forming the side walls and roofs. The most important consideration for the latter
type of construction is to save on fuel cost during the brooding period and to be able to cool
buildings during hot summer conditions by means of extraction fans. Providing optimum
environmental conditions enable chickens to put on weight rapidly and they would reach a
marketing weight of 1.85 kg at 34 days of age. (Emergency generators in cases of power failures are
an essential part of the operation.)
On the other hand open-sided buildings with curtains that can be closed during brooding of day-old
chickens and raised during warm weather are much cheaper to erect. Ventilation of these buildings,
the so-called naturally ventilated buildings however, are dependent on air movement by wind.
During summer mortalities might occur if no wind is blowing. Cost and efficiency of production play
an important role when deciding on a particular type of housing. Normally broiler production is
practiced under intensive conditions, in which the birds are confined to the inside of the building for
the entire growing period. However, due to consumer demand, there are organizations that will
allow the birds to move out of the building after the brooding period onto grassland, the so-called
free-range system.
The three types of buildings used for Broiler production
Mechanically ventilated broiler house with cooling pads
Naturally ventilated Poultry House
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Housing of layers Similar to the broiler industry housing of commercial layers will be housed in two types of buildings:
mechanically ventilated in which climate control is possible by means of extraction fans and cooling
pads or naturally ventilated depending on air displacement by current winds. Pullets at point-of-lay
are placed in battery cages at 17 to 18 weeks of age and will remain in production for approximately
one year before being replaced by a new flock of point-of- lay pullets.
The rearing of point-of- lay pullets1 is done specialist organizations to ensure that the correct lighting
patterns are being followed and that the body mass at point-of- lay is according to the breed
standards.
Similar to the broiler industry the production of eggs under a free range system is also very
commonly practiced. The production cost of eggs under free range is higher because of the higher
feed intake by hens due to the higher energy requirements for energy spent on walking.
Floors of high-rise layer houses are elevated with
openings for droppings to fall down to the ground.
Modern battery cage system with automatic
egg collection.
Free Range Broilers.
Free range hens outside a laying house, inside view of layers and nest boxes.
.
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Some useful terminology
Eggs This product of the poultry industry is regarded as the most balanced source of nutrients for humans
Broilers The term used for meat-type poultry slaughtered for meat
Breeders Those birds that lay fertile eggs for day-old broilers or day-old pullets
Hatcheries The places where chickens are hatched and they play an important role to maintain biosecurity in the supply chain of poultry meat and eggs
Mechanically The term used for those broiler houses that are ventilated by electric fans
Naturally This term describes the type of ventilation that depends on wind for air movement
Pullets The word used for female birds from hatch to the point of lay
Free range hens outside a laying house, inside view of layers and nest boxes.
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South African Poultry Association
The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) was established in 1904 in Kimberley, mainly as a body
of poultry “fanciers” to co-ordinate and promote show holding and later to stage egg laying tests,
and to provide an instrument to voice the feelings of the industry.
Historically, poultry was very much part of the South African scene. Thousands of people kept
poultry, and it was seen as backyard industry. Of the largest units kept between two and four
thousand birds under extensive conditions. Therefore, poultry clubs consisted of people from all
walks of life who considered poultry also as a hobby. A number of poultry clubs were in existence,
arranging competitions and shows. The main functions of the South African Poultry Association
would thus be composing and formulating show rules and regulating the appointment of judges.
Early Years
The early years were difficult and turbulent, and the main issues always emerged as area
representation and decentralization of management. Despite clashes between exhibitors and
“commercial producers” – a bad word at the time – the Association forged ahead. A South African
Poultry Breeders Register was established in 1926, and in 1936 assurance was given that
Government would definitely recognize SAPA as the representative organization of the industry. At
SAPA’s request the Egg Control Board was established in 1951. The Poultry Bulletin was published
by SAPA as its mouthpiece since 1937. Previously the Association selected various existing outside
magazines to air its views.
SAPA Vision and Mission
SAPA Vision
To create a viable and sustainable industry contributing to economic growth and
development, employment and food security, based on successful producers adhering to
environmental and ethical production norms and generating sustainable profits.
SAPA Mission
To create an enabling environment to achieve sustainable producer profits in the domestic
and global village market. As a representative association, the South African Poultry
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Association (SAPA) serves the interests of the poultry industry in a number of ways. SAPA
acts as a medium and catalyst for any matter the industry wishes to collectively address. It
acts as the face of the industry, addressing and maintaining a presence in society without
which opposing groups could play havoc with the industry's interests - without opposition.
The role of the Developing Poultry Farmer Organisation in the poultry
industry’’ To facilitate the entry of emerging poultry farmers especially those from the PDI’s into the main
stream economy.
How
This will be by providing poultry farmers with the resources necessary for managing successful
poultry farming enterprises.
Aim
To promote access to finance for members, lobbying for the establishment of resource centres in
each region to ensure sustainable poultry and egg production in each area, train and develop
emerging farmers in their communities on all egg and allied industries including production, grading,
packaging, transport, storage & marketing, assist farmers in securing profitable production and
supporting sustainability of businesses, organise seminars and courses to establish and enhance a
learning culture amongst all poultry farmers, publish literature, journals pamphlets and circulars
dealing with all matters pertaining to the developing poultry sector, conduct and assist in practical
and scientific investigative work, facilitate, lobby and communicate with national and provincial
government agencies and the donor communities highlighting the plight of all developing farmers in
south Africa an to lobby government to implement legislation and regulations that are beneficial to
developing farmers and allied industries and negotiate discount on production inputs on behalf of its
members.
Note to the learner Congratulations you have completed the first module introducing you to the South African Poultry Industry. Take some time to reflect on where you currently fit into the industry and what role you would like to play in this exciting industry.
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